By Our Reporter
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has extended warm and effusive felicitations to his immediate predecessor, former Governor Ben Ayade, as he marks his 58th birthday, describing him as an erudite scholar, audacious reformer and patriot whose years in office etched indelible footprints on the sands of the state’s history.
In a goodwill message issued by his Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Linus Obogo, Governor Otu paid glowing tribute to Ayade’s eight-year stewardship, characterising it as a defining chapter in Cross River’s contemporary political evolution—one shaped by intellectual vigour, expansive thinking and a resolute determination to recalibrate the state’s developmental trajectory.
“On this radiant milestone of your 58th birthday, I celebrate you as a distinguished statesman whose years of stewardship were marked by uncommon vision and courage,” Otu stated. “Your administration pursued industrial aspiration with clarity of purpose and an abiding faith in the boundless promise of our dear state.”
The governor noted that Ayade’s tenure was underscored by an unrelenting quest for industrialisation, infrastructural renewal and economic diversification, adding that his bold initiatives sparked national conversations about subnational innovation and the possibilities inherent in visionary leadership.
According to Otu, Ayade brought to governance the discipline of the academy and the daring of a futurist, blending scholarship with statecraft in ways that sought to expand economic frontiers and redefine governance possibilities within Cross River.
The governor also reflected on Ayade’s earlier service in the National Assembly, where he represented Cross River with distinction before assuming the mantle of executive leadership. “In the Senate, your voice resonated with clarity and conviction,” Otu said. “You carried with you a wealth of legislative experience, lending insight and intellectual rigour to executive engagement in ways that strengthened democratic governance.”
Governor Otu observed that Ayade’s years at the helm of affairs were marked by ambitious developmental blueprints aimed at repositioning Cross River within Nigeria’s competitive federal landscape. He described those years as a period of daring ideas and sweeping visions that challenged conventional limits and invited citizens to imagine a more industrially vibrant future.
“History will remember the audacity of your vision and the courage with which you sought to chart new pathways for industrial growth and innovation,” the governor added. “Your tenure inspired conversations about what becomes possible when leadership is driven by imagination, resilience and resolve.”
He further described Ayade as a leader whose abiding confidence in Cross River’s potential continues to inspire political actors and the younger generation, noting that public service anchored on conviction and sacrifice ultimately bequeaths a legacy that transcends seasons and partisanship.
“As you mark this noble ascent in years, I pray that the Almighty grants you renewed vitality, deeper wisdom and abiding fulfilment,” adding that “may the years ahead open fresh vistas of service and accomplishment for you, in continued dedication to Cross River State and our great nation.”
